The above title of this article might at first be somewhat confusing but it will become clearer what we mean by that near the end. On Friday, March 11, 2011 (local time in Japan), this country suffered one of the most devastating natural disasters in history. A 9.0 earthquake off the north-east coast of the Japanese island of Honshu resulted at first in incredible damage to structures in the vicinity only to be followed by a massive Tsunami with up to 30 foot high waves that devastated the coastline for several miles near the City of Sendai. The videos of the approaching waves and pictures were overwhelming in that entire structures were ripped away up to several miles inland. Estimates of the overall damage are at this time still vague in that the number of death vary from near ten thousand to possible double that number. Hundreds of thousand of people are homeless and rescue efforts are still ongoing. The damage will rise into the billions of dollars.
These two blows also resulted in severe damage to several nuclear power plants near the City of Fukushima and this is the most troubling aspect of this disaster. Radiation has leaked as a result of the structural damage to the plants and several reactors have had fires and explosions within and radioactivity has been recorded as far away as Tokyo. This is the greatest danger that looms and the true impact of this cannot even be estimated in that it could result in devastation like other similar incidents (like Chernobil in 1986). Radiation fallout could spread to other countries as well and the worst is feared as yet to come. The Japanese government is trying everything in their power to curtail the damage and the world has offered its help to support this country’s people in their hour of need. This triple whammy: Earthquake – Tsunami – Nuclear reactor damage and radiation fallout is of epic proportions and the entire world suffers and grieves with the Japanese nation as a whole and is trying to organize relief efforts and whatever it can to help out. In all this though, it is amazing to witness the dignity with which the Japanese people deal with this horror. One cannot even begin to sense the incredible impact this disaster will have on them for a long time to come. When one hears reports that thousands of residents simply vanished as a result of the Tsunami, it is incomprehensible how that must be for those afflicted by it. While they are in shock and cannot even truly comprehend the full measure of this catastrophe, they have not lost their human dignity and decency.
And as is usually the case when something so devastating is happening, the world wide media immediately “invaded” Japan to be near the disaster zone and see firsthand the devastation and report home what they witnessed. And – as can be expected, the liberal media members could not help themselves by adding their own opinions to what they only should report as facts. Within a few days of March 11, the media was looking for and could not find any signs of “Looting” by the Japanese people and the victims in particular. Wow, they were perplexed and could not understand it, they, being the media hounds. This is what we mean by the ‘Plus’ in the title above.
There was also a true sharing of resources from food items, drinking water and other life necessities, the Japanese people suffered collectively and showed the world their true dignity and culture. If anything positive should come out of this disaster, it is the conduct of the Japanese people in this time of unimaginable hardship. They are to be admired for remaining the same as individuals and as a people even in terrible times like these. We think it is their culture and it is truly enviable.